MUSIC and (Ethno)musicology in dialogue with theology, culture, social sciences and the humanities

Sing the gospel, believe the gospel…

I have always wondered why so many people who do not believe the gospel message sing sacred music of all descriptions so well and so meaningfully sometimes that one is very hard-pressed to believe that they don’t believe!

WHY won’t more Christians sing like they actually believe? Do we sing what we do because we believe it, or do we sing hoping that as we sing, we will believe it?

Sometimes, that really is what happens. But if we only believe when we get the feeling that comes from singing music that speaks the truth about God, then we have less integrity than a person who sings sacred music because they enjoy the music. So if (for example) sickness came to us and we couldn’t sing…where would our faith be?

Secular people having MORE integrity whilst singing sacred music than those in the church?